


Before Siberia

by dancefantasy



Category: Tomb Raider (Video Games)
Genre: Canon - Comics, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Everyone Has Issues, Friendship, Gen, Goodbyes, Pre-Rise of the Tomb Raider, Spoilers, dark themes, have to know canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-22
Updated: 2021-01-22
Packaged: 2021-03-13 16:21:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28906296
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dancefantasy/pseuds/dancefantasy
Summary: Lara says goodbye to Kaz before she leaves for Siberia and hopes everything will be better.
Kudos: 2





	Before Siberia

**Author's Note:**

> Here's what I like to think happened after the first set of comics, not shown in the beginning of Rise of the Tomb Raider, since the game never mentions Kaz or Sam despite how important they are in the comics.

"You're going to the middle of nowhere in Siberia, knowing that Trinity has it out for you?!" Kaz cried in worry as Lara told her that she would be leaving the next morning with Jonah to look for the Divine Source. She had only recently moved to London to live with Lara; it was too soon to have to fear she was going to lose her close friend. If it was any normal trip, Kaz wouldn't have worried. But this was such a risky endeavor that it sounded almost suicidal.

But once Lara had her mind set on something, it was nearly impossible to change it. "You know this is important to me, Kaz. I have to do this."

"You're not running from your problems again, are you? Because there are better ways to deal with this. Maybe trying therapy would be a good start--"

"It's not like that. I promise, I'm not running," Lara assured her, almost trying to convince herself of that as well so she would feel less guilty than she already did. "In fact, I think I'm facing my problems. If I'm able to prove my father was right, I feel like everything else will fall into place somehow." That did feel like the root of many of her problems. If the Divine Source was real, everyone would believe that what she said about Queen Himiko was true. If such a journey went well on her own terms, it would help make up for the losses she had experienced in Yamatai. If she finished Lord Croft's work, perhaps it would finally erase the pain she felt from finding his corpse as a child...

"I understand," Kaz quickly said, seeing in her eyes the way Lara's mind had drifted to a dark place. "You're really determined to set things right. That's why you came to find me in the first place. But I hope that you can understand also; I've already lost my brother and my wife to all this crazy stuff. Just like you, I know first-hand that Trinity is ruthless. I don't want to lose you and Jonah to them too."

"You know I can't make any promises--"

"Yeah, I know," Kaz sighed, crossing her arms to hold herself. There were a million things out of Lara's control that could end her life. "But I just want to say that even if I'm worried about this, I _do_ have faith in you. And after seeing what you did in Ukraine, I _shouldn't_ worry. I... I just don't want to hear that any more people I care about have died."

Lara put her hand on Kaz's hand in an attempt at reassurance. "Listen, I'm still so sorry about Alex. If I could do it all over again, I would do so much more--"

"Lara, no," she interrupted, desperate for Lara to stop blaming herself for Alex's death and obsessing over what could no longer change. "This isn't about me. It's about you. So, if this will bring you peace of mind, I support you all the way."

Lara gave the slightest smile of appreciation, the moment entirely bittersweet. "Thank you, Kaz. That means a lot to me. "

"And I'll keep everything running here so that you'll have a good home to return to."

Lara nodded, glancing around their apartment and knowing that she would not be anywhere nearly as comfortable for a long time. On what was basically an educated guess, she was leaving everything behind. Not only the places, but the people too. "...Will you please keep an ear out for any news from Sam? I need her to be okay," Lara asked Kaz. What had happened to Sam and how their relationship had become frayed from it clearly made her feel devastated every time she thought about it.

"Of course, I will," Kaz promised, giving Lara a much-needed hug.

Caught up in the emotion of it all, Lara buried her face in the other woman's shoulder and tried not to let any tears fall. "I don't want Sam to think I'm trying to leave her. I know she's upset with me right now."

"It's not your fault. You've done all you can for her. If anything, things will be better once you're back. It's not forever."

"I'll do my best to make sure that's true," Lara replied, willing to risk her life but hating the thought of letting Kaz, Sam, and Jonah down. But with Jonah's aid and Kaz's support, she hoped that she would come back to England as a person who could be a better friend to Sam. Coming back alive didn't feel like it would be enough. She needed something to show for it.

As Lara left the next day, giving her goodbyes to Kaz alongside Jonah, she tried not to think of it as potentially the last goodbye they would ever have. She was determined to return a success and a healthier person from it, and she also knew Kaz knew that. Such emotional encouragement alone would help her through some of the most difficult times she was about to face.


End file.
